A lot can happen in a quarter century. In virtually every industry, we’ve seen ups and downs, and the trade show business is no exception.

As the economy shifts, so does the world of trade show exhibits. In the last two and a half decades, the US economy has been something of a rollercoaster ride – with two fairly significant fiscal downturns and a dot com industry that boomed and then busted and seems to have found a steady semi-boom since. Even some of the largest trade shows were temporarily concerned they would survive as companies with depleted marketing budgets withdrew from shows they’d normally consider “must do’s.” Fortunately, show attendance today is strong once again and exhibit halls seem to be more packed than ever.

Through it all, ExpoMarketing has stayed the course – navigating waters both choppy and calm – with a steady flow of innovation, ingenuity and customer service that is genuinely second to none.

As we celebrate 25 years in the trade show business, it’s fun, rewarding and even somewhat educational to look back on how the industry has evolved and some of the key contributions we’ve made to the landscape.

ExpoMarketing Celebrates 25th Anniversary -- and a Quarter Century of Trade Show Booth Innovation

January 07, 2016

TUSTIN, CA – January 7, 2016 -- ExpoMarketing, a trade show booth rental and design company, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The company, which for a quarter century has created inventive and eye-catching trade show exhibits to companies from a wide array of industries, prides itself on its comprehensive selection of services performed in-house.

Since its launch in January of 1991, ExpoMarketing has weathered multiple economic downturns and the Silicon Valley boom and bust – outlasting much larger competitors – to get where it is today. Co-founder Laurie Pennacchi chalks the firm’s longevity up to a commitment to highly personalized service and what she refers to as “the rental factor.”

Based in Orange County, California, since its inception, ExpoMarketing was among the first exhibit houses to offer high quality trade show booths for rent and has blazed a unique trail in the exhibit industry. Because renting a booth enables exhibitors to showcase their brands on a grander scale than they could typically afford, while offering limitless customization options and relief from the burden of storing and maintaining owned booths, ExpoMarketing has been able to pioneer a whole new cost-saving sector of the trade show world.

ExpoMarketing started when Pennacchi and Tim Lysgaard, marketing department colleagues at Samsung, decided to combine their skill sets, knowledge and passion to start their own trade show support business. At first, the duo attracted mostly tech and high-tech clients (Mitsubishi and National Semiconductor were among their first long term customers), but word of mouth traveled quickly and ExpoMarketing soon found itself servicing every industry imaginable – from healthcare and natural foods to security and consumer products.

“We’ve had a very rewarding ride at ExpoMarketing so far,” said Pennacchi. “We love what we do because we’re involved in making our customers look great and succeed at these shows that are so very important. It’s extremely satisfying to be able to play that role in other companies’ success.”

The company suffered a devastating blow when President Lysgaard was killed by a drunk driver in a 2006 accident. The love of Lysgaard’s life, Lisa Bertaina, the person who best understood his vision and contributions to ExpoMarketing, stepped into Lysgaard’s leadership role at the company and has worked with Pennacchi to keep ExpoMarketing on a path of innovation and real, human service – which had been so important to Lysgaard and are seen as part of his legacy.

Led today by two women – something of an anomaly in the industry – ExpoMarketing pioneers exhibitor-friendly innovations that continue to help reduce its clients’ stress while providing new ways to make their brands stand out on the show floor.

“The truth is that unlike other things, the world of trade shows has really not changed very much in the last 25 years,” said Pennacchi. “What has changed dramatically is the way we do what we do. Technology has enabled us to design and build more efficiently so we can place even greater focus on the fine details and make sure our customers are getting exactly what they need.”

But ramping up for another busy trade show season leaves little time for Pennacchi to reflect on her company’s early pre-internet days of painstakingly hand-drawn designs and sub-standard lighting on the show floor. The ExpoMarketing offices – a constant hive of activity – are usually staging more than a dozen booths at a time. At ExpoMarketing, every booth gets a full staging session at the company’s massive warehouse attached to their Orange County headquarters. These “practice runs” enable the team to iron out potential bugs, plus clients get the opportunity to see their booths in living color before the actual shows.

“Shows are selling out again, which is a great sign for everyone,” said Pennacchi, who says 2016 for ExpoMarketing will bring some new innovative booth concepts and options for clients that will be launching as early as this month. “We’re excited for the next 25 years!”

About ExpoMarketing

Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, having opened its doors in 1991, ExpoMarketing is a pioneer of the trade show booth rental concept. The company focuses on the overall experience of its clients’ show presence, encouraging individuality and personal charm to shine on the show floor. By offering a rental option, ExpoMarketing’s clients can achieve spectacular show floor results without breaking the budget. For more information, visit www.ExpoMarketing.com.

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